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January recruitment at European-level clubs is rarely about panic. It is about timing, leverage, and exploiting situations that develop quietly during the season.
For Stade Rennais, this winter window has been shaped by opportunity rather than urgency.
The Ligue 1 side have spent recent seasons positioning themselves as a stable European contender, built on smart trading and early decision-making rather than late reactions.
That approach is familiar to Liverpool supporters. Under Jurgen Klopp, Anfield often monitored players long before moves became public.
Some arrived. Others moved elsewhere once circumstances changed.
When those players resurface in serious negotiations with another European club, it naturally draws attention, especially when Liverpool interest had been firm in the past.
That is the context surrounding Rennes’ latest move.
According to Footmercato, Stade Rennais have reportedly reached an agreement with Sebastian Szymanski over a January transfer.
The Polish midfielder is currently at Fenerbahçe, where his role has diminished this season.
According to French outlet, the player has already agreed personal terms, while discussions between the two clubs are now at an advanced stage.
Szymanski has made 26 appearances this season, scoring two goals and providing two assists across 1,179 minutes.
He has also been left out of recent matchday squads due to injury and is no longer considered central to Fenerbahçe’s plans.
His overall impact at the club remains significant, with 22 goals and 30 assists in 134 appearances since arriving in 2023.
From a Liverpool perspective, the move reopens an old chapter. At the end of 2023, Turkish reports claimed Klopp was very keen on Szymanski.
He had reportedly followed the midfielder since 2019, when he was at Legia Warsaw, and viewed him as a flexible option who could operate as a number ten or from the right.
At the time, Szymanski had produced 19 goal contributions in 25 games and played a key role in Fenerbahçe’s rise to the top of the Süper Lig.
Rennes now appear ready to capitalise where Liverpool once watched and waited.
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